Weiner, Jennifer. "Next Harry Potter slow in
coming, but J.K. Rowling says she's already written the last chapter of
the series' last book," Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 November
2000

J.K. Rowling says it might be two years before the next Harry
Potter book makes it into bookstores. (AP)

First, the good news: J.K. Rowling, author of the phenomenally successful
Harry Potter series, is hard at work on Book Five.

Now, the not-so-good news: The follow-up to the summer's 734-page Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire will not be out next summer, and might
not reach bookstores for two more years.

"I really want to take my time and just make sure that it's as good
as I can make it," Rowling explained in a telephone interview. "I
don't want to be running up against an artificial deadline. I'm working
on it now, and I have no intention of taking a break."

With more than 30 million of the Harry Potter books in print, and with
Goblet holding the record as the fastest-selling book ever, there's certainly
no financial pressure for Rowlings to hurry up on the latest adventure
of Potter, a teenage boy who discovers he's a wizard and goes off to the
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to perfect his craft.

"I could not write any more, and never have to worry about not having
money again," the former welfare recipient declared.

But fans shouldn't fret. Joanne Kathleen Rowling is still very happy
living in Harry's world.

"In an ideal day I'll work six to 10 hours . . . I'm fighting to
get time to write. I do still write in longhand, and I get away from the
house whenever possible. I use cafes like offices, with the added bonus
of good music and someone bringing me coffee all the time."

Rowling was tight-lipped on details of the next book in the planned seven-book
series. But she did let slide that she had written the final chapter of
the final book "just for my own satisfaction. Really, as an act of
faith, as an 'I will get here in the end.' "

By the series' end, she said, "you do feel a sense of resolution.
You find out what happens to the survivors, to those characters who live
through all seven books. I know that sounds very ominous. You get a sense
of what happens to them subsequently."

Other hints of what's to come: Readers will learn why Harry returns to
the home of the dreadful Dursleys every summer. "The Dursleys are
in the next book, and there's stuff coming with them that people might
not expect."

Also, Rowling said, Ginny Weasley - little sister to Harry's best friend,
Ron, who's been nursing a crush on Harry for the first four books - "will
play more of a role in Book Five."